A waste problem at the Toledo, IA, seed corn production plant of Pioneer Hi-Bred International is unsold seed that is returned and cannot be resold. But Pioneer is attempting to turn this problem into a benefit with the investigation of high-temperature gasification to convert the waste corn into a gas that can be burned as a heat source.

Pioneer hopes to eventually reduce its use of natural gas, and also hopes the process may be used on farms in the future. The company is working on the project with Iowa State University and Carbon Energy Technology, Inc. (Ames, IA).

Publication date: 03/04/2002